Now What Is Going On Over There Then ???
Another return shot at Knole House and this time out in the Deer Park and this is just two of many more .
About the deer
Did you know that the deer at Knole have been here much, much longer than the National Trust? The herd’s ancestors stretch back 500 years and the park is one of very few wild deer parks in England to have survived this long. The park was first enclosed by a fence in 1455 by Thomas Bourchier to indulge the passion for hunting at the time. The park is still populated by around 350 wild deer today and is managed by Knole Estate. It was originally stocked purely with fallow deer until a herd of Japanese Sika deer were introduced in the 19th century, and the two species now roam the landscape together.
Seasons to look out for
Antler shedding (April/May)
Towards the end of March and beginning of April the deer will shed their winter coats and the lighter summer coats come through. The deer start to look messy and untidy when this happens because the new coat comes from underneath and pushes the old one out. You might notice clumps of fur missing and the deer starting to look bare and patchy. Birds can often be seen collecting the deer's loose fur to line their nests.
Towards the end of April the bigger bucks start casting their antlers. They have been in full antler since August and the older bucks cast first. After that it is a sliding scale with the younger deer, known as prickets, the last to cast. This gives the larger bucks the longest period of time to grow the most impressive antlers.
Antler growth is governed by testosterone levels, which is at its lowest when the antler casts (and at its highest during the rut in autumn). The deer have an open sore for a day or two but the velvet soon comes through and the new antlers start to grow.
Calving & Fawning (June/July)
Deer tend to take themselves off and look for a bit of cover, and the deer are very quiet during labour, - a defence mechanism so they don’t alert predators who may hurt their offspring. A newborn fawn that is weak on its feet is an easy target. They tend to hide in the ferns and longer undergrowth for protection, so seeking them out is harmful to their wellbeing.
( taken from National Trust webpage ) .
Now What Is Going On Over There Then ???
Another return shot at Knole House and this time out in the Deer Park and this is just two of many more .
About the deer
Did you know that the deer at Knole have been here much, much longer than the National Trust? The herd’s ancestors stretch back 500 years and the park is one of very few wild deer parks in England to have survived this long. The park was first enclosed by a fence in 1455 by Thomas Bourchier to indulge the passion for hunting at the time. The park is still populated by around 350 wild deer today and is managed by Knole Estate. It was originally stocked purely with fallow deer until a herd of Japanese Sika deer were introduced in the 19th century, and the two species now roam the landscape together.
Seasons to look out for
Antler shedding (April/May)
Towards the end of March and beginning of April the deer will shed their winter coats and the lighter summer coats come through. The deer start to look messy and untidy when this happens because the new coat comes from underneath and pushes the old one out. You might notice clumps of fur missing and the deer starting to look bare and patchy. Birds can often be seen collecting the deer's loose fur to line their nests.
Towards the end of April the bigger bucks start casting their antlers. They have been in full antler since August and the older bucks cast first. After that it is a sliding scale with the younger deer, known as prickets, the last to cast. This gives the larger bucks the longest period of time to grow the most impressive antlers.
Antler growth is governed by testosterone levels, which is at its lowest when the antler casts (and at its highest during the rut in autumn). The deer have an open sore for a day or two but the velvet soon comes through and the new antlers start to grow.
Calving & Fawning (June/July)
Deer tend to take themselves off and look for a bit of cover, and the deer are very quiet during labour, - a defence mechanism so they don’t alert predators who may hurt their offspring. A newborn fawn that is weak on its feet is an easy target. They tend to hide in the ferns and longer undergrowth for protection, so seeking them out is harmful to their wellbeing.
( taken from National Trust webpage ) .